A 2-part Series SeriesCuba: The Accidental RevolutionTwo-part series examining Cuba's enormous experiment in sustainable development in the face of an economic crisis brought on by the collapse of the Soviet Union.

90 minutes
Closed Captioned

Directed by Ray Burley
Produced by CBC's "The Nature of Things"
Written by Ray BurleyExecutive Producer: Michael AllderEditor: Bruce AnnisDirector of Photography: Milan KleplHosted by David Suzuki

Cuba: The Accidental Revolution comprises two 45-minute documentaries examining Cuba's success in providing for itself in the face of a massive economic crisis, and how its latest revolutions -- an agricultural revolution and a revolution in science and medicine -- are having repercussions around the world.

Now the world wonders: what will become of Cuba's Green Revolution after Fidel Castro is gone? Will Cuba's "Green Revolution" become a blueprint for sustainable agriculture, medicine, and biotechnology, or will it be swept aside by the economic weight of foreign investors? Or will the public clamor for consumer goods from a weary people, fed up with lack of choice, overwhelm contemporary Cuba? Will Cuba's enormous experiment in sustainable development be maintained if the U.S. embargo is lifted and Cuba is exposed to the brutal arena of world trade? Whatever the future of Cuba's accidental revolution, Castro and his country has shown that alternatives do exist.

Reviews"Anyone interested in ecologically sustainable development and humanity's future in the context of depleting resources in the 20th Century will find this documentary thought provoking."

Gregory Biniowsky, Canadian Development and the Environment Consultant living in Cuba

"If necessity is the mother of invention, then this vivid and beautifully filmed documentary shows how the Cuban people have faced adversity and austerity with a dogged inventiveness since the collapse of the Soviet Union and the start of the 'special period' beginning in 1990. The film will be especially useful and instructive for viewers looking to solve the riddle of how Cuba has survived a depression-like upheaval while struggling to maintain enviable standards of social security for its people."

Ted Henken, Ph.D., Sociology Department, Baruch College and Board Member, Association for the Study of the Cuban Economy

"Engaging, substantive....Both parts of this visually pleasing documentary would make an superior accompaniment to print materials in classes on Caribbean history, international health or social welfare."

Dr. Holly Ackerman, International and Area Studies Department, Duke University Libraries